GAME NOTES AT VERMONT 1.31

NEWARK, NJ – NJIT closes out three-game road stretch as the Highlanders travel to Vermont on Saturday, January 31^st for a 4:30 p.m. start time.

UAlbany Recap

• The Highlanders take down UAlbany on the road, 77-68, and improve to 5-2 in America East play.
• Five Highlanders scored in double-digits with junior Sebastian Robinson leading the way with 17 points on 7-15 shooting.
• Sophomore Quentin Duncan followed with a season-high 16 points on 4-6 shooting from behind the arc.
• Freshman David Bolden scored 15 points, graduate student Melvyn Ebonkoli finished with 13 points and sophomore Ari Fulton closed out the game with 11 points.
• This is the first win for the Highlanders on the road in ten contests against the Great Danes.

NJIT vs. Vermont: All-Time Series

• This is the 17^th all-time meeting between the Highlanders and the Catamounts.
• The Catamounts lead the all-time series 14-2.
• Last matchup was last season where the Catamounts took down the Highlanders, 71-61, in Newark on 2/27/25.

America East Honors

• Fulton was named America East Co-Player of the Week (11/17) averaging 17.0 PPG and 12.0 RPG.
• Bolden was named America East Rookie of the Week two weeks in a row (11/10, 11/17) averaging 15 PPG and 6 APG.

Quick Notes:

• Grant Billmeier enters his third season at the helm.
• Ty Goode joins the coaching staff as an assistant coach after spending the previous three seasons on the staff at Fordham University as Recruiting/Video Coordinator (2024-25) and Assistant Recruiting Coordinator (2022-24).
• The Highlanders return nine players from last season, one of the highest marks in the conference.
• The Highlanders boasts a younger roster with 11 of its 15 members being either freshman or sophomores. The team also has three juniors and a graduate student.
• Newcomers to Newark include Melvyn Ebonkoli, Jeremy Clayville, Rocco Awad, Zack Scherler, AJ Altobelli and David Bolden.
• Bolden's 18 points at Fordham (11/4) is the most points scored by a freshman in their debut since Damon Lynn in 2013. Damon had 21 points at Tulane on Nov. 8, 2013.
• The last time the Highlanders started off a season 3-1 was back during the 2015-16 season.
• The Highlanders concluded their non-conference slate with five wins, which is their most non-conference wins since the 2021-22 season (5).
• The Highlanders took down Binghamton, 73-65, to win their America East opener for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

Next Up
NJIT returns home to the Bloom Wellness and Events Center as the Highlanders welcome UMass Lowell on Thursday, February 5^th for a 7:00 p.m. start time. Stay up to date on all things NJIT Men's Basketball throughout the season by following @NJITHoops on X/Twitter and Instagram.